


Panic Cord

by corinnemaree



Series: We're Just A Box Of Souvenirs [2]
Category: Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 10:12:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8009668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corinnemaree/pseuds/corinnemaree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two Months on, their break up is still hard. And saying ‘I love you’ isn’t impossible anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Panic Cord

It was hard, the whole transition from being a couple to single. Claire didn’t enjoy it, especially considering she didn’t have the closure she needed. Owen was probably doing better. It had been about two months, and although life was fine and Claire got on with her job, there were times where she just left so alone. Never, in her entire life, had Claire felt like she was alone. 

Lost and unsure of herself, Claire took her time to get into the dating world again. It was a struggle at first, the separation from Owen. They had broken up a week or so before he left, but nothing felt real until he and everything that reminded Claire of him was gone. She wept for hours, not even realising that Karen had called. Little did she know that Karen was worried and scared, driving out to Claire’s house. She found Claire on the floor, eventually taking her up to her bed and crawling in beside her. Karen held Claire, letting her sob and wail, not caring that she sobbing until three in the morning. 

_ “I couldn’t say it, Karen,” Claire remembered saying between sobs. Karen comforted Claire, stroking her hair and holding her as tightly as she could. _

_ “It’s okay, honey,” Karen said, shushing Claire, but a loud sob betrayed Claire’s heart. _

_ ‘Why couldn’t I say it?” Claire cried out before burying her face in Karen’s chest a little more.  _

_ “It’s going to be okay,” Karen soothed, holding her, her heart underneath Claire’s ear; it steadied her for the night, the only thing that could get her to sleep. It wasn’t until morning that Claire realised she had done the same thing with Owen ever other night. Claire didn’t Karen about that. She only sobbed about it.  _

Claire had ended up sobbing and curled up to herself for almost a week with Karen tending to Claire’s needed. Claire wasn’t much use to herself during that time. Karen would bring Claire food, would stay with her until she ate it and left Claire to wallow in her sadness. 

But it was time for a change, to get her out of her messy head. After the first week, Claire cleaned herself up, got to work and acted as if nothing was wrong. Pulling herself back into her work, drowning in it, she got her life in check. She still felt alone, lost and unsure, but she could think of work and be right back where she needed to be. But the loneliness at home was deafening and Claire just needed to get over it. 

Claire was set up on a date with a guy from the accounting office. Daniel. He was nice, very sweet, but nothing very much intrigued Claire about him. She just needed to try. Claire put on black semi-sheer midi skirt with a matching black crop top she recently bought; something new and fun. She liked her appearance, didn’t dislike herself or feel like she couldn’t impress. She knew, when she looked in the mirror, that she could be the most beautiful woman in the room again. 

Claire sat at the restaurant, scotch resting at the bottle of a short glass. Daniel showed up, a nice suit pinned perfectly and a genuine smile tugging at his lips. He sat across from Claire, ordered them dinner and they had some light conversation. But Daniel wasn’t interesting. Claire tried to get to know him, but everything was typical and mundane, he just didn’t do much.  She didn’t feel like going through it anymore, the whole dating thing. She realised she wasn’t ready yet, just a little more time to heal, that’s all she needed. Or closure, explain things. But she couldn’t.

Pushing through the date, Claire made polite conversation, trudged through boring conversations and sat patiently through awkward silences. Both of them knew it was a bad date, they just weren’t made out to be around each other. Claire wondered what his next thought was; Claire just wanted to get home after all of it. They paid and walked out of the restaurant. Pulling her red coat over her shoulders, she looked over to Daniel uncomfortably. 

He gave back an almost expectant smile. “We can go get coffee if you like?” he asked.

“You know what? I'm fine,” Claire shrugged.

“So, back to mine or yours?” he smirked a little and Claire held back a tight scoff. 

“I don't really think it's worth it. I'm going to go home,” she said, pulling her coat tightly before starting down the street, the opposite direction to Daniel.

“Claire,” he tried to call her back. 

“See you around, Daniel,” she waved over her shoulder. In reality, Claire just walked along the street, letting the wind whip around and drag her anywhere. She felt like she needed to clear her head, let herself breath and just take in the night. 

Claire found herself walking closer to home, only two or three blocks over, just around some of the little corner stores and nice restaurants. She hadn’t been around there in some time, just at a few corner stores but not along the main street in such a long time. Claire took her time, the T junction at the end of the street leading her back towards her house.

Outside a little restaurant stood a figure that she recognised almost instantly. Owen. He wore his worn out dark jeans with a light blazer and a checkered top underneath. He was jumping a little, trying to stay warm and yet, still as gorgeous as ever. Claire’s breath hitched and then he smiled. And everything melted - the heartache and broken parts of her - she was ready to let herself see him again. Claire was ready to tell him everything she couldn’t the day he left. 

Claire ran as hard as her feet would take her. He was right there, staring at her like he was looking at the sun and he had been in complete darkness. She wouldn’t let him go again; she couldn’t, not this time. Then, a woman went underneath his arm, smiling widely as he pulled her in closer. Claire stopped dead in her tracks, not realising she was in the middle of the street. A car horn blared and everyone about turned to the car. Claire swallowed before continuing to the opposite side of the street and walking the other way to Owen.

“Claire?” She heard his voice carry on the wind. She shivered when it touched her. Claire hurried her steps before she suddenly was wrenched back; her arm caught in his grasp and she gasped at the sudden jerk. “I thought it was you, I just had to be sure,” he said, his face growing bright and a small smile appearing on his lips. Claire took a sharp inhale before shaking her head.

“I’m sorry,” Claire huffed, holding herself a little tighter as she met his gaze. “I don’t know what I was doing,” she said, turning again and continuing down the street. Owen’s hand remained on her arm, keeping her planted where she was. 

“Claire,” he said, his voice soft and Claire whimpered.

“I cried for a week when you left,” Claire muttered, covering her eyes to stop the tears that seemed to form. 

“What?” Owen asked. Claire turned to him slowly, sniffing before clearing her throat.

“Owen, I couldn’t say it,” she said, shrugging. “I just couldn’t get it out and it wasn’t because I didn’t love you, because I do,” Claire bit at her lip, looking down at her feet, holding herself again. “I couldn’t say it to you because it felt wrong.” 

“I don’t understand.” His face was confused and still hopeful. She didn’t want to disappoint him this time. 

“I wanted to, but I’ve fucked up so many relationships before that I didn’t get the timing right. I couldn’t say it when we were arguing because you wouldn’t know if I was being honest or just trying to get you to stay, so I let you go,” she explained rapidly, wiping the small tear that fell down her face. Owen let his hands fall from Claire, chewing at the inside of his lip. 

He shrugged. “Claire, you lost me either way, why couldn’t you just -” 

“Owen, look at how we ended. I wasn’t going to make excuses because you didn’t deserve them. I needed to explain it and I got the opportunity to. So, um, your date is...waiting,” Claire rubbed her brow, turning on her heels and continuing down to go home. She needed her bed. 

“You ran to me, I saw you,” Owen said and Claire’s breath hitched. She looked over her shoulder and replied.

“It was stupid, I know, I’m-I’m sorry,” she called out but Owen called back loudly.

“You ran to me,” he said harshly and Claire stopped. He ran to her this time, facing her and asking one simple question: “Why?” 

“I don’t know,” she muttered.

“Not this time. You’re going to say it this time,” Owen asked her swiftly, shaking his head as she answered. 

“I couldn’t let you go again,” Claire explained, biting her lip. 

“Please say it,” he begged and Claire gave a weak smile to him.

“I couldn’t let you go again because I love you with everything I have,” she explained and Owen sighed, blissfully. Then, suddenly, his hands glided up her jaw, his lips meeting hers. Claire rose on her toes a little more, falling into Owen and he smiled into the kiss wonderfully. Claire was lost for a moment; and for the first time, it felt perfect to be that way. When Owen finally parted from her, his forehead rested up on hers. 

“I’m glad you said it,” Owen sighed. Claire cleared her throat before tilting her head.

“Your date,” she raised her brow and Owen did the same as he looked up to see the woman he was with. Claire turned to see her; shocked and disgusted with Owen. Claire didn’t blame her, this whole situation was complicated. 

“Right, um,” Owen muttered, kissing Claire quickly before rushing off. “I’ll be right back,” he called back. Claire watched as Owen tried to explain, everything inaudible from Claire’s distance. Then, the woman’s jaw went slack and her hand went straight across his face in anger. Claire went tight-lipped as Owen walked back over to Claire. 

“That went well,” Claire said, rosy cheeks and a small chuckle.

“Yeah. I probably didn’t handle that great,” Owen said, rubbing his cheek. Claire leaned up, kissing his cheek and he hummed at the touch of her lips. 

“Maybe we should go get a coffee?” she asked timidly. Owen’s familiar arm went over Claire’s shoulder, leaning his weight as he used to do onto her, a small touch of his cheek on the side of her head. 

“Honestly, I want to go home,” he muttered. Claire smiled, wrapping her arm around his back and curling into his embrace, she felt at home, perfectly protected. 

“It’s waiting for us,” Claire said back and Owen kissed the top of her head. She wasn’t alone anymore, and her heart told her she wouldn’t for the rest of her life; she liked that feeling.


End file.
